Certain individuals and governments consider both ownership and use of motor vehicles as a social concession which is compensated and checked by the levying of duties and various taxes on the vehicles and on products used in conjunction with the motor vehicles, especially fuels. Ownership of motor vehicles is however increasing throughout the world, and this is at least to a significant extent attributable to increased prosperity. As a result, there is increased demand for new infrastructure, such as new streets, roads, highways, expressways, parking lots, etc., to accommodate both the increasing number of motor vehicles and the presence of more luxurious vehicles. Existing infrastructure is often outdated and needs maintenance, upgrading, and/or replacement.
One important component of both existing and new infra-structure is lighting systems for streets, roads, highways, expressways, parking lots, etc. While lighting systems are primarily intended to be functional, in some traditional areas, such as airports and shopping malls, it is important that they have a decorative character. Decorative character of lighting systems is becoming more important especially where the lighting systems are in the presence of illuminated signage and lighted buildings. Increased cost per unit of land area will be accompanied by an increase in the amount of lighting cost per unit of land area.
Infra-structure associated with streets, roads, highways, expressways, parking lots, etc. requires maintenance. Because of extensive daylight usage of these corridors of travel, maintenance is often performed at night. If daylight maintenance is performed, it often interferes with use of streets, roads, highways, expressways, parking lots, etc. Because of increased traffic volumes, higher speeds, etc., one can appreciate that performance of maintenance involves increased risks of accidental, and even fatal, harm to maintenance workers and to occupants of motor vehicles.
Therefore, there is an increasing need for lighting installations that are easier and more cost-effective to maintain. This is why sox catenary installations are becoming less popular while the less efficient conventional SON-T installations with 18 meter high light poles placed up to 80 meters apart are increasingly popular.
One general objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system for automatically sensing, conveying, and recording data relevant to the operation of a lighting system network so that maintenance can be performed more efficiently.
Another general objective of the present invention is to provide a new and improved system for automatically controlling the operation of a lighting system network more efficiently.
The present invention utilizes known electrical components organized and arranged in a lighting system in a way that has never been done before.
One general aspect of the invention relates to an outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising: for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising input means for receiving electric power input and output means for supplying electric power to the remainder of the string; each of said plural lamp locations further comprising one or more outdoor illumination lamps; each controller module comprising first switching means for switching the electric power input to deliver current to the one or more outdoor illumination lamps at the controller module's location, and second switching means for switching electric input power from the controller module's input means to the controller module's output means in response to receipt of electric power input at the controller module's input means.
Another general aspect of the invention relates to an outdoor lighting control system for a string of outdoor illumination lamps disposed at various locations along an outdoor lighting system comprising: for each of plural lamp locations in the string, a controller module comprising means for switching power on and off to an electric lamp circuit at its location that includes one or more outdoor illumination lamps; or one more maintenance signal input means at each location associated with the corresponding controller module at that location for inputing a respective signal indicating performance of a respective maintenance procedure at that location. More specifically, such maintenance signal input means may be switches that are operated by maintenance service personnel to indicate for example, lamp replacement, ballast replacement, and/or capacitor replacement.
The foregoing, and other features, along with various advantages and benefits of the invention, will be seen in the ensuing description which is accompanied by drawings. The drawings disclose a preferred embodiment of the invention according to the best mode contemplated at this time for carrying out the invention.